Shift-over mechanism for cameras and the like



April 29, 1941. J. M. WALL SHIFT-OVBRMEQHANISM FOR CAMERAS AND THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1959 .JUHN M WALL TT um EY Patented Apr. 29, 1941 azione smFnovEnMEonANIsM Fonosmaas Linn John M. Wall, Syracuse, N. Y.

Application March 20, 1939, SSeriaINo.A 262,852

'74 Claims.

This invention relates toV improvementsin Gameras and more particularly .to a mechanism for shifting the `camera case with respect tothe photographic lens for `bringing Ethe view finder-of the camera from :a position at one side of the photographic lens into registration Wit-h said lensv and to subsequently shift the case to return it andz the view finder to their normal positions.

The main object of the invention is to produce a shift-over mechanism for cameras or the like which is economical and durable in constllictionY and simple, accurate and positive in operation.

In carrying out the above mentioned object, I have provided a mechanism comprising cooperating operating elements associated with the carnera case and the base for said case for shifting the case With respect to the base .to bring the view finder of the camera into and out o f registration with the photographic lens. I have also provided a simple eiiicient stop or holding means associated with the case and base for releasably locking the ease in either of the adjusted positions thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide means for actuating the operating elements and stop or holding means which includes a single manu-ally operated controlmember, said control member being so connected With the operating elements'and holding means that they will be successivelyV operated by a :continuous 7 movement of the manually operated control member in one direction for shifting the camera case from one position to a second position, and when the control member is similarly moved in the opposite direction they will be operated thereby to shift the camera case back to its original position.

Other objects and advantages .pertaining to the structure of the device and to the form and relation of the parts :thereof will more fully appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating more or less diagrammatically a motion picture camera embodying `thejva'rfious features of `this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation lof the camera illustrated in Figure 1. i

Figure Bois an enlarged detail transverse verti- .cal sectional View through theicamera Hoase taken substantially on line 3 3, .Figure 1, illustrating ymy novel shift-over mechanism, the major por- 'tion'thereof being illustrated inside elevation.

yFigure 4 a detailrvertioal sectional .view-.taken yon line '4-4,Figure 3.

Figure isa `detail ver-ticalsectional view taken substantially online 5..-5 Figure 4. y i

Figure. 6 is a detail horizontal sectional vievv taken substantially in the plane of the line 5 6, Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation illustrating on an enlarged scale the manner in Which the stop or holding member is operated to releaser the camera case just prior tov said case being moved relative to the base by` a continuous movement of the manually operated icontrol member or handle,A

certain portions of the mechanism being broken away and in section. Y n

Figure 8 is a detail elevation similar to Figure '7v A- illustrating pants thereof in a position assumed when the camera :case is moved to a second position.

In FiguresV 1 and2, I have illustratedmcre or less diagrammatically a motion picture camera case l0 having a suitable focusing or view finder instrument Il mounted upon the camera caselli at one side thereof. The numeral l2 indicates a suitable photographic lens carried on a front plate |,3 which is mountedon a base i4 on Which the camera case I0 is transversely slidable in horizontally disposed guideWays I5. Thelm is indicated by broken lines at F in its normal position with respect to the lens l2. G indicates, in broken lines, a ground glass mounted in fthe View finder Il in such a position that it, may be accurately moved into the position of nlm F at the rear .of the photographic lens 2 so that whatever im-age is normallyreceved by the iilm Will then be received by ia surface fof the ground glass.

While I have stated thatl G .is a ground glass member, Vit Will be understood that the surface on which the image from the photographic lens may bereceived may be in the form of a translucent surface provided by any other sui-table means thanground glass. y Y

In Figure 1, the camera case i0 is illustrated by full lines in its normal position with the ilm F at the rear of Ythe photographic lens .l2 for receiving the image from the photographic lens. The .camera case .fand view nder are illustrated .by .broken ,lines in Figure l ias having ,been moved IWith -respect :to thebase I4 toa second position wherein the yground .glass G `is Ypositioned at `the rea-r of the Vphotographic lens so'thatwhatever =image would fbeinormally received ybythe lm Will be receivedby the ground glass.

The shift-over mechanism :comprising this invention vfor moving .the camera 'case i0 with respect to the .base ,I4 comprises@ rack ,member IJ ,mounted in ra groove L8 provided .inthe base I4 longitudinally of said base immediately beneath the camera case I and between the guideways I5. A pinion I9, extending through a slot I0 in case I9 and engaging with rack I1, is rotatably mounted on a stud 29 carried by a bracket 2I secured to the interior of the camera case I0. Meshing with the pinion I9 is a second pinion or gear 22 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 23 having one end thereof journaled in the bracket 2I in spaced substantially parallel relation with the stud 20.

The shaft 23 is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane a short distance above the stud and extends outwardly through a side wall 25 of the camera case and has a handle 26 secured to the outer end thereof by which the shaft may be manually rotated. Secured to the shaft 23,. adjacent one side of the gear 22, is a crank arm 21 which has secured to the outer free end thereof a drive pin 28. The pin 28 projects from one side of the arm 21 into a radially disposed substantially V-shaped slot or recess 29 rprc'ividedin a laterally projecting hub or flange 3D provided on the gear 22 adjacent the arm 21, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

It will now be understood that when the shaft 23 isy rotated, as by the handle 26, the pin 28 will engage one side or the other of the recess 29 and thereby transmit rotary motion from the shaft to the gear 22. Rotation of the gear 22 will produce a corresponding rotation of the gear or pinion I9 which in turn causes the camera case I3 tobe moved longitudinally of the ways I5 as the pinion I3 travels along therack I1.

This movement of the' case I produced by the coaction of the rack I1 and pinion I3 is for the purpose of moving the camera case from the riore mal position with the film F positioned behind the photographic lens I2 to an abnormal or second position with the View finder I I positioned behind said lens. In order that the camera case may be lockedl in both the normal and abnormal positions thereof, I have provided atstop or holding pin 32 which is mounted in a housing 33 provided in the case I8 in close proximity to the bracket 2I and pinion I9, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6. v Y v The housing 33 is an inverted cup-shaped member which, in this instance, is provided with a marginal flange 34 at the lower or open end thereof, saidflange being arranged in a suitable recess provided in the lower side of the case Ill intermediate said case and the base i4. The housing 33 projects upwardly from the flange 34 through a suitable opening provided in the case I8 into the interior of said case. Mounted in the housing 33 is a spring 35 which surrounds the pin 32 and has one end thereof contacting with the upper end of the housing 33, the other end of said spring being in contact with a peripheral flange 36 provided on the pin 32 in slightly spaced relation to the lower end thereof so as to urge said pin to its lowerinost position.

The lower end of the pin 32 is tapered, as at 32', and is adapted to engage in one or the other ofa pair of correspondingly tapered recesses or holes 31 provided in a keeper plate 38 colnposed of steel or the like and which is mounted in a suitable groove or channel 39 formed in the base I4 in spaced substantially parallel relation with the rack I1. The recesses. 31 .are spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance the ground glass G of the view finder I I is normally spaced from the plane passingthrough the center of the 32 is in engagement with one of the recesses 31, as the right-hand recess shown in Figure 3, the camera case I9 will be so positioned that the film F will be located behind the lensV I2 in operative relation therewith, and when the stop pin 32 is in engagement with the other or left-hand recess 31, the ground glass G will be positioned behind the lens I2 in cooperative relation therewith.

The upper end of the stop pin 32 is provided with a notch or recess 40 which receives one end. of a rock lever 4I which is disposed in substan tially a horizontal plane and pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the bracket 2l by a stud 2, as illustrated in Figure 6. The opposite end of the arm from the stop pin 32 is positioned ,beneath the inner end of the shaft 23 in engagement with a cam 43 secured to said inner end of shaft 23. This cam member 43 is provided with an arcuate portion 44 arranged substantially con centric with the shaft 23 and two flattened porJ tions 44 and 44" arranged at the ends of the arcuate portion 44. The flattened portions 44' and 44" converge inwardly from the ends of thev arcuate portion 44 toward each other so that when the cam is positioned symmetrically with the horizontal plane passing through the axis of the shaft 23, a flattened portion 44' or 44" of the cam will contact the outer or adjacent end of the lever 4I.

As illustrated in Figures 3', 7 and 8, the spring 35 acting upon the end of the lever 4I engaged in recess 40 of pin 32 maintains the opposite or outer end of the rock lever in contact with the cam surface 44.

In order that the drive pin 28 may be normally maintained in Contact with one sideor the other vof the recess 29 when the case I0 is locked at' either of its two adjusted positions and prevent easy rotation of the shaft 23 and handle 26 by movement of the pin 28 through the recess 29, I have provided a substantially U-shaped spring 46 mounted in a vertical position with one side thereof contacting with the bottom of the case I and the other side in engagement with a grooved roller 41 which is rotatably connected' with the cam 43 by a shoulder pin 48. This pin 48 is secured to the cam 43 substantially midway between the ends of the arcuate portion 44 thereof' so as toV lie substantially in the horizontal planepassing through the axis of the shaft 23 when the cam 43 is in either of its two extreme positions of movement.

The operation of my novel shift-over mechanism will now be understood to be substantially as follows:

Assuming that the camera case I8 is -in its normal position with the film F located at the rear of the photographic lens I2, as illustrated by full lines in Figure 1, the stop pin 32 will be in engagement with the inner disposed recess 31, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6, for locking the case insaid position. Also, the cam 43 will be facing inwardly. or toward the stop pin 32 as illustrated in Figure 3.

When the cam 43 is facing inwardly, as shown in Figure 3, the drive pin 28 will bemaintained by the spring 46 in contact with the left-hand side 29 of the recess 29, as illustrated in Figure 5, due to the cam 43 and arm 21 being both secured to the shaft 23 in predetermined relation with each other. When it is desired to move the camera case ID with respect to the base I4 to bring the View finder I I into registration with the lens I2, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 1,

photographic lens I2 so that when the stop pin 75 the handle 26 is rotated ln a clockwise direction as viewed fromFigure 3flsoa`s tomoveth-'crahk l ationfoff-thehandle`f26 land shaft- -2t-'inthe diarm 21 and cam T43 in aicorresponding-direction.

` During the intialmovementofthe-hadle'26 and shaft'23,'thepin28 Willrbe movedthrou'gh-the-re-- cessi 29y fromA contact with the left-hahd-'side 29' of said recess intocontact-"with thef'ri'ghthand side 29 thereof, as viewed'in Figure 5. During this movement of the' drivepin 28 through the recess 29,' gears 22 andIQ will-remainstationary and the cam 43 win be rotated in a. clockwise direction a Acorresponding amountl to' xbring' 'the curved surface -44 of the caminto engagement with'the adjacent end of the rock lever '4l' thereby rocking said lever about thestud`42 andfp'ro u ducing upward movement ofthe stop-or holding f pin 32,` as indicated by broken lines linEigure 1.

' This brings the lower `end-32 `ofthe holding pin out of the keeper recess 31 v'andfi'eleas'es the caselli with respect to the base I4.- Continued rotation of the handle 2s and'sh'aft'zs win main-:il

tain the pin 32 in its upperm'ostmoperative position as the curved surface'44 of'canr 43 is" moved along the lever 4I. Also,"the gear 22'wil`lbe rotated in unison with the shaft 23A due tothe enslot 2Q. 'Rotation of gear 22 wilI'of-course'produce a corresponding rotation of the: gear I9 and effect movement ofthe casel with respect'to the base I 4 as the gear I9 rolls along the rack I1.

As the case I Il approaches its outermost 'position, as indicated by broken linesin'ligures` 1 and 3, the cam surface-44 of cam 43 willp'ass beyond the adjacent portion of the rock lever 4I and release said lever asthe flattened portion 44'., 1 This' 'Ine engagement of the holding pinwith-the" keeper recess 38 locks the case I0 to the base I4 with the ground glass G of the view finder II positioned at the rear of the photographic `lens VI2l in registration therewith. The locking of the case I0 to the base I4 also prevents the case from being moved beyond the predetermined second position by pressure exerted on the handle 26.

When it is desired to return the case' II) to its initial position with respect to the base I4, the handle 26 and shaft 23 are rotated in the oppo-v site direction. During the intial rotation of the handle and shaft the drive pin 28'wi11'be moved from side 29" of the slot 29 to the-opposite side 29 thereof. During this movement of thepin through the slot 29 the holding pin32' willbe moved out of registration with the 'outermost keeper recess 31 by the action of the cam 43'upon the lever 4I in the mannerdescribed above'when moving the case tothe outermost position.

As the holding pin is disengaged from the kee p" er 33, the gear 22 will be connectedwith the shaft 23 by the engagement of the pin 28 with the side 29 and produce rotation of gears 22.' and I9 to return case Ii) to its intial or innerV position. `As

the case approaches its initial position the cam;

surface 44 of the' cam 43 will again register with the lever 4I so that the holding pin 32 may be returned into engagement with the keeper recess 31 by the spring 35 when the film F of the camera case is positioned behind the photographic lens in registration therewith. It will thus be seen that the camera case may be moved from one position to a second position and at the same time be unlocked from the first position and locked in the second position by a continuous ro- L eenen.

When-it is desired to return the case to its in- '-itiaI position, the unlocking, moving and vlocking 'v ofthecase is accomplished 4by merely rotating the 'handle and shaft inthe opposite direction. Furthermore, the 'case is automatically locked against excessive-movement in either direction by the enga'gement' of vthe'stop or holding pin 32 with the -Although the'construction and operation of my invention are particularly simple, practical and feflicie'nt, I* do not Wish to be limited to the detail'of lconstruction shown as itV is evident that various changes may be made in said construction "without departing from the spirit' of the inven- "tion a'sset'forth inthe appended claims.

A I claim:

Y 1.'In a shift-overmeohanism of the character described, the combination with a driven Amember gagement of the pin 28"With the side'ZS" 'of 'tha-523' v'taining the driven member in either of twopredetermined positions in said path of movement thereof; a"reversible actuating shaft, means operatively connecting the shaft with the holding element'whereby said holding element may be moved to release the driven' member, and means operatively connecting the actuating shaft with the movable member including a gear and rack mechanism, one of the gears of said mechanism being rotatively mounted on the actuating shaft,

and/means including drive anddriven elements providing a limited lost motion connection be- 4 tween the actuating shaft and said latter gear, said connecting'means being of lsuch a character that when Ythe driven member reaches either of said positions in its path of movement said driven fmember Will be automatically locked against further movement in either direction and the shaft will be automatically locked against further forrWard movement-but is `free to be moved in a relverse direction independently of the gear mechanism during the initial movement thereof so that 'the holding member may be subsequently moved by operation of the actuating shaft to re.-

'lease the'driven member prior to movement of said latter member from said locked position thereof.l

2. A shift-over mechanism of the character 'set forth in claim 1 having means operatively connected with the actuating shaft for yieldingly urging the same in a forward direction when said shaft is insaid locked position thereof.

3. InI a shift-overmeohanism of the character 'described,A the combination with a driven mem- -ber mounted for reciprocative movement in a 60ilpredetern'iined path, of locking means includ- 'maintaining the driven member in either of two "predetermined" positions in said vpath of moveing a movable holding element for releasably ment thereof, a reversible actuating shaft, means 'including a cam fixed to-the shaft-and a rock lever operatively connecting the shaft with the holding Velement whereby said holding element may be moved to release the driven member, means operatively connecting the actuating shaft With the movable member including a gear and rack mechanism, one of the gearsl of said mechanism being rotatively mounted on the actuating shaft, means providing a pin and slot connection between the actuating shaft and said latter gear of such a nature that when the driven member reaches either of said positions in its -path of movement said shaft will be-automaticalllease' the driven member prior to movement of Isaid latter member from said locked position thereof, and a spring operatively associated with 'the shaft for yieldingly urging the same in said forward direction when in said locked position thereof.

4. In a shift-over mechanism for cameras and the like, the combination with a driven member mounted for reciprocative,movement` in a predetermined path, of locking means including a holding element mounted to releasably maintain the driven member in either of two predetermined positions in said path of movement thereof, a primary drive mechanism including an actuating element movable in forward and reverse directions operatively connected to the holding element whereby said holding element may be moved to release the driven member, a secondary drive mechanism operatively connected to the driven member to produce said reciprocative movement thereof, and means connecting the secondary drive mechanism to the primary drive mechanism so as to be actuated by said latter mechanism including drive and driven elements of such a character that a lost motion is provided between said mechanisms during the initial portion of the movement of the actuating element in the reverse directions only so that when the driven member is locked in either of said two predetermined positions by the holding element, said actuating element is locked against farther movement in a forward direction but is free to move independently of the secondary drive mechanism in a reverse direction for producing said movement of said holding element.

5. In a shift-over mechanism for cameras and the like, the combination with a driven member mounted for r-eciprocative movement in a predetermined path, of locking means including a holding element mounted to releasably maintain the driven member in either of two predetermined positions in said path of movement thereof, a

reversible actuating means, mechanism composed of permanently associated parts operatively connecting the actuating means with the driven member whereby said driven member may be reciprocated by said actuating means, said mechanism including drive and driven elements providing a lost motion connection between them during the initial portion of the reversing movements only of the actuating means whereby said actuating means is automatically locked against farther movement in the forward direction of movement thereof when the driven member is maintained in either of said two predetermined positions by the holding element but is free to move in the reverse directions, and means operated by the actuating means during said initial portion of said reverse movements of the actuating means for moving the holding element Cil to release the driven member.

6. In a shift-over mechanism for cameras and the like, the combination with a driven member mounted for reciprocative movement in a predetermined path, of `locking means including a holding element mounted to releasably maintain the driven member in either of two predetermined positions in said path of movement thereof, a reversible actuating shaft, a first mechanism operatively connecting the actuating shaft with the holding element whereby said holding element may be moved by said shaft to release said driven member, and a second mechanism composed of permanently related parts operatively connecting the actuating shaft to the driven member whereby said driven member may `be reciprocated by said shaft, said second mechanism including coacting drive and driven elements providing lost motion between them during the initial portion of the reverse movements only of the actuating shaft whereby said shaft is maintained against farther movement in its forward direction of movement when the driven member is locked in either of said two predetermined positions by the holding element but is free to move in the reverse direction of movement thereof for actuating said holding element.

'7. In a shift-over mechanism for cameras and the like, the combination with a driven member mounted for reciprocative movement in a predetermined path, of locking means including a holding element mounted to releasably maintain the driven member in either of two predetermined positions in said path of movement thereof, a reversible actuating shaft, a first mechanism operatively connecting the actuating shaft with the holding element whereby said holding element may be moved by said shaft upon reverse movements thereof to release said driven member, a second mechanism composed of permanently related parts operatively connecting the actuating shaft to the driven member whereby said driven member maybe reciprocated by said shaft, both of said mechanisms including coacting drive and driven elements providing a limited lost motion between them, the drive and driven elements of said second mechanismv being of such a character that the lost motion caused thereby occurs during the initial portion of the reverse movements only of the actuating shaft, the drive and driven elements of said rst mechanism being of such a character that the lost motion caused thereby occurs subsequent to the lost motion caused by the drive and driven element of said second mechanism so that when the driven member reaches either of said positions in its path of movement, the actuating member is automatically locked against farther movement in the forward direction of movement thereof but is free to move in the reverse direction while said driven member is automatically maintained against farther movement in either direction of movement thereof by said holding element.

JOHN M. WALL. 

